Watts

So this is probably a stupid question. So the heating pad I have does not get hot enough for my day temps, so I use the overhead lights to heat up during the day, then turn them off at night. Well for a while I was using 100 watt day bulb (I also have the 100 watt night bulb). With the heating pad on during the day my tank only gets to about 78-80 in the hottest part, with the night bulb AND heating pad it gets to about 84-86, and with the day bulb and the heating pad it gets too much over 90 so I haven't been using it. But I also feel that the 86 isn't hot enough. If I get a day bulb that is less watts, will it not give off as much heat? I think they come in 40,60,80 and 100 watt. If it's true, which should I get to keep my tank around 85-90 during the day? It's 20L gallon btw, glass.

Thanks!

with just a UTH its hard to heat an entire glass tank. just make sure the UTH is only getting as hot as 92. for ambient temps you can always tape off the enitre lid of the tank and cut a hole to leave the light on. then just get a rheostat/dimmer and you can leave the light on all the time if you want. the only problem then is that you are going to drain your humidity, which is why a lot of people hate tanks and eventually switch to something else

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Originally Posted by mpkeelee

with just a UTH its hard to heat an entire glass tank. just make sure the UTH is only getting as hot as 92. for ambient temps you can always tape off the enitre lid of the tank and cut a hole to leave the light on. then just get a rheostat/dimmer and you can leave the light on all the time if you want. the only problem then is that you are going to drain your humidity, which is why a lot of people hate tanks and eventually switch to something else

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I haven't had any issues yet with the humidity, the Eco Earth I use works well. I also have about half of the cover sealed off with a cut piece of heavy duty boating plastic. I just wanted to know if the watts affect the heat, and what watt I should get. I don't have a dimmer.

I use a uth on one side and heat cable under the rest of the tank 20L as well. That keeps my temps up where they need to be.

What size UTH are you using for the 20gl? As long as the temps above the UTH are around the high 80's you should be ok. You want to make sure that the surface temps over the UTH is what your temping as this is what will be in contact with Julius. How hot is the 100 watt making the temp? I would try using the 80 watt 1st and see how that works and go from there. I don't think any watt less than 60 would help very much(to low heat). Also over head lights also kill humidity a lot, another option would be attaching another UTH to either the bottom or the side of the tank to help with the temps.

Do you have the highest watt night time bulb? If it were me I would just get a higher wattage night bulb and leave it on 24/7. Hmm, maybe 100 is the highest...if you go to the store see if they have a higher wattage than 100. And yes, if you get a lower watt day bulb it will put off less heat. How much, no one could say. It depends on the tank, UTH, room temps, etc.

Buy a lamp dimmer at home depot or lowes they are around $10.00 then you can adjust it to what you need.

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Originally Posted by jason79

Buy a lamp dimmer at home depot or lowes they are around $10.00 then you can adjust it to what you need.

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:ohmygod: great idea! :gj:

i said that already

Thanks for all the input everyone, as usual you are all so helpful. :D